Hygiene standards at a Harrow trust have failed to hit targets set by a government healthcare watchdog.

HYGIENE standards at a Harrow trust have failed to hit targets set by a government healthcare watchdog.

The Harrow Primary Care Trust (PCT) has admitted to the Healthcare Commission that it is failing to meet one or more parts of the hygiene code.

The PCT had insufficient information to assure the commission that it was meeting two of its targets, but the trust

managed to improve in the year to meet standards for decontaminating medical devices and insuring staff treated patients and relatives with respect.

The boards of 391 NHS Trusts completed the performance assessments. Only 23 per cent of trusts fully met all assess-ment's standards.

In a neighbouring borough, Brent Teaching PCT missed targets on 14 of the 44 hygiene standards and was one of four trusts in the country rated as 'weak'.

One of the main areas the Brent trust is failing in is infection control by ensuring patients, staff and visitors have adequate systems to manage and reduce diseases, including MRSA. The trust is also missing targets for staff training programmes and records management.

The commission will now cross-check the declarations with publicly available information, like clinical surveys and audits, to ensure the declarations are accurate.

The next step for failing trusts is to create an action plan for change. Units which fail to improve, units face closure or restructuring of management.